Dank Marijuana Strain and Edible Review Number Two

November Strain Reviews

Thu, Nov 5, 2009

Don Cristo

In the cannabis world, where the difference between one strain over another can often be subtle, every now and then a new variety comes out that represents nothing short of an evolutionary leap forward. Such is the case with Don Cristo, an indica that within days of its advent established itself as the house specialty of Greenhouse Herbal Center in Los Angeles. So inspiring that Greenhouse gave it its own unique logo, so precious that the collective set a 1-gram limit on it for patients–Don Cristo may well be the new gold standard for fine-quality herbal medicine.

Incredibly dense and sticky with resin, the strain might seem best suited for the pipe or vaporizer. But like the premium Cuban tobacco that influenced its name, Don Cristo is meant to be rolled. We tried it using Pure Hemp rolling papers and found the taste combination–rich and bold with dark chocolate undertones–a revelation. While its lung-expansive qualities makes this strain ill-suited for patients with respiratory ailments, the powerfully euphoric stone it produces makes Don Cristo perfect for alleviating muscle pain and nausea associated with chemotherapy.

Super Venom

In describing Super Venom, the good people at Anaheim Herbal Healing Center called it “lay on the couch,” “makes me really hungry,” “put me to bed” medicine. They’re not kidding. The house brand for the Anaheim collective is a powerhouse. An indica/sativa blend heavy on the indica, this remarkable scion of OG Kush has a THC content of 21 percent–not the most potent variety on the market, but you’d never know given the punch it packs.

The first thing we noticed about Super Venom (aside from its shockingly skunk smell) was how fast it worked. While most cannabis stones take a bit to settle in, this strain had us reeling in seconds. Forget the whole notion of taking a couple of hits to soothe a minor joint ache and get on with your evening: Two hits of Super Venom and the effect becomes your evening. In other words, this is the weapon you keep in your medicine cabinet for when it’s time to break out the Big Guns–think migraines, severe insomnia or major anxiety attacks. Whatever you use it for, don’t say we didn’t warn you.

Durban Poison

A classic variety and yet another good product of Africa’s Rift Valley (which also produced, if a lot of archeologists are to be believed, humans), Durban Poison is a sweet-tasting, smooth-burning strain whose many fans can’t seem to decide if it’s a sativa or an indica.

While its origins are certainly sativa, many point to a pair of Bay Area cultivators who–legend has it–bred a lot of indica into their clones and significantly altered the Durban Poison gene pool. Anaheim Herbal Health Center tells us that the sample we picked up from them is 90 percent indica, 10 percent sativa.

Whatever the case may be, you certainly can’t discern its genetics from the stone Durban Poison generates–a near-psychedelic head-trip and a full-body high all in one. As such, this is a terrific broad-spectrum medicine, good for easing arthritis pain, anxiety and migraines. It’s also reportedly a good remedy for suffering associated with HIV/AIDS, cancer and glaucoma.

Asian Fantasy

Yet another strain whose genetics are hotly disputed, Asian Fantasy is one of those strains so hard to come by that not a few articles have appeared questioning whether it still exists. It exists, alright. Oh, yes.

A dense, sticky variety with thick green nugs positively swarming with red hairs, Asian Fantasy is a marvel to behold. Most striking about its appearance is its very un-budlike shape–long and slightly curved, like a crayfish. Its beauty is matched only by its taste–harsh and spicy, reminiscent of Moroccan hashish–and its powerful, warm-butter-in-the-veins stone. Take our word for it, Asian Fantasy is definitely nighttime medicine, perfect for fighting even the toughest bouts of insomnia or settling the most jangled nerves.

A story frequently told about this strain attributes its supposed extinction to a certain greedy individual who hoarded its seeds and then lost track of the genetics himself. While at least part of that story is certainly untrue–as we said, reports of Asian Fantasy’s demise are greatly exaggerated–the legend does carry a powerful lesson we’d all do well to heed: Take care to share your bounty, or your bounty will be taken from you.

Apple Turnover

We found this tasty treat at South Coast Patient Center in Santa Ana. So loaded with cannabis that it’s almost green in appearance, it’s nonetheless quite satisfying–though no one will mistake it for a non-cannabis edible any time soon. As one consumer commented, “It tastes like a mix between pot and an apple turnover.”

The high from this sweet munchie comes on quite gradually over a period of two hours, and at its peak it’s a decidedly all-over body high–soothing body aches, joint pain and insomnia. Ironically, it’s also a great remedy for increasing one’s appetite–no small benefit indeed for chemo and AIDS patients. Try it with a cold glass of low-fat milk for the full green pastry experience.

Baked Chunky Chocolate Brownie

From L.A.-based Baked Industries, this delicious snack is decidedly not a brownie. It’s a cookie. We don’t care what the front label says: It’s round, flat, crispy and–the biggest clue of all–tastes like chunky chocolate cookie. Perhaps its name, “Chunky Chocolate Brownie,” means to convey that the cookie is brownie-flavored (on the flip side of the beautifully designed package, Baked Industries does refer to the product as a cookie). But if you’re looking for a delicious, chocolaty brownie, this isn’t it.

If, however, you’re craving one mighty tasty, cannabis-enhanced cookie, this is it. Loaded with dark chocolate, walnuts and semi-sweet chocolate chunks, it’ll send your taste buds into blissful orbit with every bite. The THC count is fairly low (just over a third of a gram of cannabis is infused into each cookie), making it a good edible for first-time edible users and those who like to do keep their buzz on the down-low. We hear it’s a hugely popular item at the Inland Empire Patients Group in Bloomington, where we picked up our sample.